1996 Hall of Fame Game

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COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – In the 50th renewal of the annual Hall of Fame Game at Doubleday Field, the Montreal Expos and the California Angels played to a 6-6 tie. It was the first time a Hall of Fame Game had ended in a tie since 1988, and just the second time in series history that the game has ended in a tie after playing nine innings.

The game did not go into extra innings because both teams needed to catch flights soon after. Montreal was headed to Houston while California returned home to face Minnesota.

The teams combined for 10 home runs in the contest, setting a new Hall of Fame Game record.

Scoring began in the top of the second when Henry Rodriguez and Sherman Obando hit back-to-back home runs to give the Expos a 2-0 lead.

The Angels responded in the bottom of the inning when George Arias hit a two-run home run to score J.T. Snow and to tie the game. Randy Velarde followed with a solo shot to give the Angels their first lead of the game.

Each team added a run– California in the bottom of the sixth and Montreal in the top of the seventh– before the Expos took a 5-4 lead by scoring two runs in the top of the eighth.

The Angels rallied back, however, when center fielder Rex Hudler hit a triple to begin the bottom of the eighth, and later scored when California’s bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer– pinch-hitting for Don Slaught– lofted a two-run home run over the right field fence.

Expos’ catcher Tim Spehr hit a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth to tie the game, but that was the most Montreal could muster, as the contest ended in a tie.

Ten different players hit home runs, and Ryan McGwire recorded Montreal’s only multi-hit game. Hudler also recorded two hits for the Angels.

Of the six pitchers in the game, only Montreal starter Jeff Juden escaped without allowing a run, pitching just the first inning and walking two batters.